Barge connecting means



Nov. 5, 1963 G. STOCKDALE 3,109,406

BARGE CONNECTING MEANS Filed Dec. 15, 1961 N 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORIGEOFFREY STOCKDALE ATTO RNEV Nov. 5, 1963 G. STOCKDALE 3,109,406

BARGE CONNECTING MEANS Filed Dec. 15, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORZGEOFFREYQTOCKDALE ATTORNEYS N v. 5, 1963 e. STOCKDALE 3,109,405

BARGE CONNECTING MEANS Filed Dec. 15, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORGEOFFREY ST QGKDALE U h/Z51 w ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,109,406BARGE CONNECTING MEANS Geoifrey Stockdale, 57 Greenleas Road, Wallasey,England Filed Dec. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 159,634 Claims priority,application Great Britain Dec. 17, 1960 1 Claim. (Cl. 114-235) Thisinvention relates to the connecting of barges and other buoyant,load-carrying units (all hereinafter for convenience of descriptionincluded in the term buoyant unit) and has for its object to providesimple and effective means whereby similar buoyant units havingdifferent draughts and/or trims may be secured one to the other withtheir hull structures in longitudinal alignment thereby to facilitatethe propulsion of same. The invention has particular, although, ofcourse, not exclusive reference to my prior United States applicationfor patent Serial Number 54,500, filed September 7, 1960, now abandoned,which describes and claims a composite load-carrying watercraftcomprising a plurality of individual and separable buoyant units orsections which require to be connected one to the other by steel wiresor cables.

Obviously, the hull structures of such buoyant units could be aligned bypumping out or flooding provided ballast chambers, but this procedurehas a disadvantage in that it takes, usually, a considerable period oftime and, furthermore, it may reduce the available lift or loadcarryingpotential of the units.

The present invention has for its object therefore to provide simple andeffective means of aligning and, if desired, securing together the hullstructures of adjacent buoyant units without, or in addition to, theutilizing of ballast chambers or compartments.

According to the invention, and in one mode of embodiment, a buoyantload-carrying unit is provided at one or each end with a pair ofstructures for anchoring and guiding the cables used in drawing togetherand aligning said unit with an adjacent unit or units, said structuresbeing disposed at, or adjacent to, each side of the unit andcharacterized in that each structure includes two (or more) verticallyspaced rollers or pulleys or other anti-friction devices for saidcables. Winch or other tensioning or load applying means are providedfor the cables. Tensioning means may be provided in respect of eachco-acting pair of cable-guiding structures, or portable tensioning meansmay be used in conjunction with releasable stop means for preventingback-run of the cables.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention there is providedat each end of a buoyant unit at deck level a pair of cable guidingstructures bolted or otherwise secured in position and spacedly locatedone at each side of the unit. Each structure comprises a pair of stoutcheek plates or members between which are journalled two rollers orpulleys spaced vertically apart and adapted to function as anti-frictionguides for the connecting cables.

Means are provided at or adjacent to each cable guiding structure foranchoring the end of a cable, and the tensioning devices may be of handor power operated type and be of a fixed or portable nature as foundmost convenient.

In the use of connecting means as described, and assuming two similarload-carrying buoyant units have been brought end to end in proximity,and one is more deeply laden than the other, then the cables connectingthe two units are guided around the pulleys or rollers of the units insuch manner that suitable vertical as well as horizontal forces areproduced between the units when the connecting cables are tightened bythe means provided. Thus the adjacent ends of the hull structures of thebuoy- 3,109,406 Patented Nov. 5, 1963 ant units, in addition to beingdrawn together, can be horizontally aligned due to the difference invertical location of the guide pulleys or rollers over which theconnecting cables pass which ensures that there will always be available2. vertical component of the load applied by the cable tensioningdevice, or appropriate stops, suificient to effect such alignment.

To facilitate the relative vertical displacement of the units once incontact, guide rollers or other anti-friction devices may be fitted tothe meeting faces or bulkheads of the units, such devices being arrangedto enter provided recesses and become inoperate as anti-friction devicesonce correct alignment of the hull structures of the units has beenachieved.

The invention is further described with the aid of the accompanying moreor less diagrammatic drawings which illustrate, by way of example only,one mode of embodiment.

In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of two floating buoyant units in the process ofbeing connected together by means according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of same.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of one of the cable-guiding andanchoring structures, and

FIG. 4 a view taken at right angles to that of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the disposition ofthe anti-friction rollers when the buoyant units are aligned.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary schematic elevation, drawn to an enlarged scaleas compared with the preceding views, and illustrating an anti-frictionroller as referred to entering into a co-acting recess.

Referring now to said drawings, 10, 11 denote two buoyant units whichare provided at each end with, in this instance, two cable anchoring andguiding structures each generally designated 12. The bulkheads 10a, 11aof said units 10, 11 are each provided with anti-friction devices in theform of rollers 13 carried by brackets 14, and with recesses 15. Saidrollers 13 and recesses 15 are so positioned in their respectivebulkheads that when the two units have been pulled into aligned abutment(as hereinafter described) the rollers 13 of each unit become located inthe respective recesses 15 of the said units and cease to function asanti-friction devices.

Preferably, as illustrated in the drawings, at least two rollers 13 areprovided adjacent the deck line of a unit and two adjacent the bottomthereof with co-acting recesses 15 in the respective bulkheads.

Each cable-guiding and anchoring structure 12 comprises a pair of checkplates 12a or equivalent members bolted securely in position and betweenwhich are journalled the shafts 12b of two rollers or pulleys 16, 17.These pulleys 16, 17 are spaced vertically apart as far as is necessaryfor the purpose intended. Spacer plates are provided between the plates12a.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, the buoyant unit 10 isillustrated as being lower in the water x than unit 11, and to connectthe two units in alignment, it is necessary to apply a load or loadswhich will function not only to draw the units together but will alsoimpart relative vertical movement thereto.

To this end, cables 25 are anchored at 25a one to each of the structures12 of unit 10 and then are led over the upper pulley 16 of the opposedstructures 12 of the unit 11. From thence the cables pass round andunder the lower pulleys 17 of structures 12 of unit 10 and then overpulleys 17 of unit 11. The ends 25b of the cables are connected withtensioning or load applying devices of requisite power (not shown) andwhich may be manually or power operable as found convenient. Thus, whena load is applied to the cables 25, in the direction indicated forcespulling said units together, there are vertical components of the loadwhich function to bring the hull structures into horizontal alignment.

During such alignment of the units 10, 11 the rollers 13 function asshown to prevent undue friction-between rthe bulkheads 10a, 11a as theymeet until such time as said bulkheads become aligned, or substantiallyso, when said rollers 13 and their support brackets 14 enter theprovided recesses 15 as shown most clearly in FIGS. and 6.

The said brackets 14 are each located, preferably, in recesses 26 oftheir respective bulkheads and comprise spaced angle brackets 14a (FIGS.4 and 5) having radiused front surfaces 14b (FIG. 6) and the diametersof the, rollers 14 journalled between said brackets are such that whensaid brackets-cum-rollers are fully entered within the recesses 15, i.e.when the bulkheads 10a, 11a are in aligned abutment, then the brackets14 engage the upper and lower walls a, 15b of said [recesses 15 as shownin broken lines in FIG. 6, whereby the rollers 13are renderedcompletely'inoperative. Further, the entry of the brackets 14 of eachunit 10, 11 within the corresponding recesses 15 provides a mechanicallock between the units which prevents unwanted movement taking place.

Clearly, the aligning of two buoyant units 10, 11 as described mayresult in the trim of the combined units being altered, but this can becorrected if desirable by flooding ballast compartments at one or bothof the free ends of the units or/and by the connecting of said free endsto succeeding buoyant units.

Obviously, the number of cable anchoring and guiding structures 12provided at each end of a buoyant unit as 10, or 11 will be suited torequirements and the forces to be exerted, and may number one, or more,as found necessary.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

Means for drawing together and aligning adjacent buoyant units so as tohave the same draft and trim, comprising a pair of separate buoyantunits each having end bulkheads and decks, at least 'one cable guidingand anchoring structure mounted at deck level and at each side of eachof said buoyant units and having at least two pulleys disposed in spacedvertical relationship, a cable eXtend ing around the pulleys of saidcable guiding and anchoring structure of both units and connected to oneof said units, anti-friction rollers provided at each side and at thetop and bottom of the bulkheads of said units to be brought intoalignment, brackets extending from said bulkhead carrying saidanti-friction rollers, said bulkheads having recesses for co-operai-tngwith said brackets,

said brackets and recesses being so relatively positioned that when saidunit bulkheads are in aligned abutment the brackets of one of saidbulkheads engage in said recesses of the opposed bulkhead, and saidbrackets being of a configuration for mating with their co-operatingrecess when they engage said recesses for rendering inoperative theanti-friction rollers carried by said brackets.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 741,841France Dec. 20, 1932 1,225,623 France Feb. 22, 1960 1,247,972 FranceOct. 31, 1960

